‘Once Upon A Time’: Henry & Peter Pan’s Twisted Connection Revealed

Spoiler alert: Stop reading if you don't want your fairytale-loving mind blown. We already knew that Henry (Jared Gilmore) had the most complicated family tree in human history, but after a shocking twist on the Nov. 17 episode of Once Upon A Time, "complicated" doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) spent the hour reflecting on his own childhood, which revealed a family secret that even the creepy little seer girl with the eye on her hand couldn't have seen coming.

By:
Reading Time: 3 minutes
November 17, 2013 9:30PM EST
Once Upon A Time 308
Image Credit: Courtesy of ABC

Long story short, Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) is Rumple’s father — and Henry’s great-grandfather!

Short story long: Young Rumple and his dad, a dead-beat grifter, escaped to Neverland in the hopes of beginning a new life. But when they arrived, the island’s shadow convinced Papa Rumple that he didn’t “belong” in Neverland because he’d lost his youthful heart. The solution? Send Rumple back home, transform into the smarmy youngster we all know today, and assume the name of Rumple’s creepy straw doll: “Peter Pan!”

Of course, present-day Henry had no idea about any of this. He also didn’t know that if he gave his heart to Pan, he’d die, a fact revealed to Emma (Jennifer Morrison) after her magical militia freed Wendy-in-a-Box from Pan’s camp. So when the time finally came to surrender his heart, Henry did so with little hesitation, resulting in an all-powerful Pan — and an all-screwed everybody else.

(Spoiler alert: Recent photos from the show’s Vancouver set reveal how the final battle with Pan will play out. Click and see them if you dare!)

Odds & Ends

>> It turns out there is a way to save Charming (Josh Dallas) from the dream shade, and of course, Rumple knows how to make the elixir. So everything should turn out OK for Snow’s (Ginnifer Goodwin) husband — you know, assuming they can find a way to break Rumple out of Pandora’s Box. No biggie, right?

>> I wonder how Tinkerbell (Rose McIver) is going to fit into the final chapter of the Pan War. Rose recently told HollywoodLife.com that we’ve still got “a lot to learn” about her character’s backstory. I’m keeping my eye on her. Actually, both of ’em!

>> That final scene — where Emma, Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Neal (Michael Raymond-James) begged Henry not give his heart to Pan — was, pun-intended, actually pretty heartbreaking. I know things have been getting a little insane on this show, but there’s a purpose every strange new connection. (Also, like I said earlier, this kid’s got one messed up family tree!)

HollywoodLifers, what did you think of this week’s twist-y episode? Did you see the Peter Pan reveal coming? And how do you think the final battle with Papa Rumple will play out? Drop a comment with your review and predictions!

— Andy Swift

More ‘Once Upon A Time’:

  1. ‘OUAT’: Rose McIver Talks Tink’s Past With Pan & Future… In Storybrooke?
  2. ‘Once Upon A Time’: Peter Pan’s Fate Revealed In Shocking On-Set Pics
  3. ‘Once Upon A Time’ Recap: Peter Pan’s Days Are Finally Numbered